Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is an important debate. It goes to the heart of how far we think we have progressed as a democratic nation. It goes to the heart of how we balance those freedoms that set us apart from so many other citizens in our global community. It is clear from today's debate that there are a variety of views, and that is why the government's decision to have an exposure draft, to invite community opinion and to encourage community discussion on this is a good process. It would have been very disappointing—it would have been indefensible—if the government had come to a position and not provided an opportunity for the community and the parliament to debate it in a calm and measured way.

I do not doubt for a moment that the views of others that are different from mine are genuinely held, and I give them great generosity, because I understand that my lived experience will be very different from the lived experience so far of many others. I cannot comprehend the shattering hurt that people may have felt over their lived experience so far as a result of racism. From my own personal experience, I know the shattering hurt that can come from homophobic thoughts and actions. But my lived experience means that I will be listening carefully to the views of many Australians—not just elected representatives but others across the community—on this sensitive issue.

But I start from the position of supporting freedom. I start from the position of trusting Australians. I start from the position of saying that bigotry, homophobia and religious intolerance should be pulled out of the darkness and put in a public place and that we should educate with speech and discussion to deter people from those ill-founded thoughts. Of course, in a nation as big as ours, we will not always be able to put hand on heart and know that 100 per cent of Australians are free from ignorant or ill-considered thoughts, but the debate that we are engaging in is one about whether or not we think the community can step up, the government can step back and, as a result of that, our democratic fabric can be strengthened over time and not weakened. I am sure I speak for many, many Western Australians who believe that racism is not tolerated in our country and should be combated, but many will argue that part of our democratic evolution is for government and laws to step back so that communities can step up to the challenge.

I believe that this matter of public importance is based on a false premise. If I understand the opposition's position correctly, it is that racism is festering and contagious throughout Australia and the only thing holding it back is section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.